Real Time: Stories and a Reminiscence

by Amit Chaudhuri

Amit Chaudhuri’s stories range across the astonishing face of the modern Indian subcontinent. From divorcées about to enter into an arranged marriage to the teenaged poet who develops a relationship with a lonely widower, from singing teachers to housewives to white-collar businessmen, Chaudhuri deftly explores the juxtaposition of the new and old worlds in his native India. Here are stories as sweet and ironic as they are deft and revealing.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, India, Indian Literature

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Amit Chaudhuri was born in Calcutta in 1962, and grew up in Bombay. He read English at University College, London, where he took his BA with First Class Honours, and completed his doctorate on critical theory and the poetry of D.H. Lawrence at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was a Dervorguilla Scholar. He was Creative Arts Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford, from 1992-95, and Leverhulme Special Research Fellow at the Faculty of English, Cambridge University, until April 1999, where he taught the Commonwealth and International Literatures paper of the English Tripos. He was on the faculty of the School of the Arts, Columbia University, for the Fall semester, 2002. He was appointed Samuel Fischer Guest Professor of Literature at Free University, Berlin, for the winter term 2005.

He is now Professor in Contemporary Literature at the University of East Anglia. He was made Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2009.

Reviews

[notgettingenough · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do wish some of my online Indian acquaintances had opinions about this book; in some respects it is difficult to know what to make of it.

For a start one sympathises with the readers and reviewers online who complain about the structure of these stories. I would describe many of them as episodes rather than stories and for those who like an end to a story, this is a collection that will largely disappoint, most of them stopping rather than ending.

For another thing, I imagine non-Indian readers would find it a hard collection to comprehend. In the realm of fiction, of the various works I’ve read, this is particularly Indian, culturally and even linguistically. As well as the economic and social stratifications evident in Indian society, there is much about Britishness as it pertains to some, and geographical cultural distinctions. Not many outside India are going to have understanding of the situation of a Bengali in Bombay. Still, one wonders at this, for example, from The Kirkus Review:

Little happens in Chaudhuri’s otherwise exquisitely fashioned fiction: witness “The Great Game,” a vignette that employs the phenomenon of soccer combat to underscore tensions between India and Pakistan;

If it were not clear to the anonymous reviewer from the story that this is about cricket – yeah, not the world famous soccer player Tendulkar – there is even a note about the story at the end which discusses it being about cricket.

Here for the rest:

http://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpres...

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was something immensely appealing about this collection of stories (plus two narrative poems at the end). As others note, nothing really happens in most of the stories. It's actually verisimilitude short story, if that's a genre -- like life, without a beginning, middle, and end to each episode. Kind of like Seinfeld, except not humorous, not completely lacking in empathy for others--I guess it really isn't Seinfeldian. (And Seinfeld really wasn't about nothing even though there was an entire episode about that, in which a lot happened, including an ending).

I really enjoyed Chaudhuri's use of words and structure, but I can't explain why, as I don't have the time or inclination to write a paper on it as I would have done when I was an undergraduate.

One reviewer -- an Indian -- worried that because the stories are so distinctively Indian, "culturally and even linguistically," non-Indians would find themselves baffled. Yes, that was true at times in my experience, but isn't that what traveling is like? That kind of bafflement is often the point. Some specifics and details weren't clear to me, but the overarching structure of each story function well enough that it was OK to not understand all of the details. I didn't find it confusing so much as intriguing.

I do agree with that same reviewer that this collection would be a disappointment to people who really like a solid conclusion to a story. Even for me, at the end of many of the stories it almost felt like I had missed some important part of the "plot." However, Chowdhury managed to introduce me to people who don't think exactly like I think and a culture that is very different from my culture, And it was that combination of ordinariness/otherness, along with the wonderfully constructed sentences, paragraphs, and structure, that kept me happily reading them.

I wasn't nuts about the poems at the end. For some reason, their lack of any ending seemed far more abrupt than when that happened in the stories. Seems like it would be the opposite, but for me it wasn't. Overall I would be happy to read other things by this author.

[Sourojit Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crisp read. Chaudhuri's collection encompasses several walks of Indian life. From the tenements of migrant Odia wage workers to the privileged cloisters of Bombay's who's who. Quasi autobiographical scenes dominate this slim volume as episode after episode from his early life and childhood are either directly portrayed or masked behind a veil of fiction. A study into human nature and character, as much as a fond reminiscence; this book is a must read for Amit Chaudhuri fans.

[Anirban Nanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Amit Chaudhuri book and I regret for waiting so much before picking him up. His writing is subtle and measured, lilting. Some say his stories seem like stopped in midway, not ended. But that's especially what Chaudhuri wants to do: to talk about the quotidian, the trivial things in our daily lives and how far one can go picturing them in a gripping way. He talks about things I have not seen anyone talk about. I always wondered how I can write about those, or whether it is possible to write them. And I have found many answers in this book. Yes, they can be written, and it can be done so masterfully.

I'll pick up his 'A Strange and Sublime Address' next.

[Rohani · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Review is for 'Real Time' only]

A couple attends a funeral out of obligation but it is also hinted at that they do so for appearances' sake. It also subtly explores life after death and social conduct at this kind of setting. I think it's a very real and very familiar take in how the Chaudhuri calls out how performative and self-important people can be.

[Proteeti Sinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the short stories, will definitely read more of his writing. Especially loved E-Minor.

[Paul Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chaudhuri captures the flavour of India for a certain group in the country's complex social hierachy in this diverse collection of stories.

[Meenal · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 91%

[Areeba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can imagine non-Indian readers having trouble reading this book. In fact I'm sure one must have the experience of having lived in Calcutta to fully understand the world that Chaudhuri writes about. While many might see this as a negtive of the stories I felt quite the opposite. It felt like a very private world was being shown with the assumption that one was already an insider. Rather than alienating me I felt I was one of the insiders.

The short stories are more observationl sketches or episodes. They lack coherent plot in the conflict-resolution sense of stories but they still prove to be an enjoyable and entertaining read. There is a lot of detail given without overwhelming the reader with descriptions, the attention to small detail and nuances of the lives of the characters creates a particularly engaging read.

I'll say this, these stories are not for everybody, only approach this book if you already appreciate sketches or plotless narrative. If you're looking for the stories to have a meaning and purpose you'll be disappointed.

[Erika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say, I didn't really get it. These were such small stories, and there was so much detail packed in, but I felt, not a lot of description. It seemed like I should be building a literal mental street map from all the detail, but never understood the feeling from the description. Britannia India was worked into literally every story, and a number of other companies were worked into most of them repeatedly. Did these companies pay for the book to be published? Are there only half a dozen brands, so they all must be mentioned? I didn't get it. When I saw I was nearing the end of the book, I was relieved to be so close to moving on. Then, I saw the last stories were poems, and I cringed. What rhymes with Britannia India? I was surprised to find the poems were actually the best part of the book. E-Minor was beautiful, and evocative, so I'm not entirely sorry I finished the book.

[Kathy Chung · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reviewed here : Mama Kucing Books : Real Time Stories & A Reminiscence By Amit Chaudhuri


I don't really like the stories in this book. Too many of it with not clear ending and clear story line. More like hanging threads of thoughts. For example"Confession of a Sacrifice". The lady said she was aware that she is being prepared for a sacrifice in the future. But there is no mention of what sort of sacrifice that she is being pushed to. It was left hanging there.

I like story where there is a beginning, middle and preferably and ending. If no ending, at least a hint of it. Instead of just hanging there

1star out of 5.

[Aileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chaudhuri writes universal themes of human struggle among various elements and settings. Though the stories in this book were uneven (in terms of quality and tone), I enjoyed being transported between Calcutta and Mumbai. The end of the first story, "Portrait of an Artist," sums up many of the people I've met here, "Calcutta was his universe; like a dewdrop, it holds within it the light and colors of the entire world."

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. The minutae, mundane and pettiness of everyday life was detailed for all to see in the way that infuriates the tourist. It was presented in short stories so you could take it in, in small bites if you wanted. I'm not Indian nor have I lived in India so maybe I don't fully understand.

[Lucy Barnhouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are beautifully written, lapidary pieces. Often deliberately strange, they show us elusive moments, weighted with significance by those living through them, weighted, too, by knowledge of the past and fear of the future. Still, Chaudhuri's writing never feels ponderous, and I plan to seek out more of his work.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful Indian (English language) author. A fine collection of stories, based largely in Calcutta and Mumbai.

[Sundarraj Kaushik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Except for a few stories others seem pedantry. Does not seem worth reading except for expats who may wish to reminiscence about Kolkatta and in some stories about Mumbai.

[Jithin George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its Ok

[Alka · Rating 2 out of 5]

nothing to write about